Motor vehicle construction



Oct. 5, 1937. B. B. BACHMAN MOTOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Original Filed June 16, 1934 2 SheetsSheet l WW\ \JHn |fin- I nwaflvvv Oct. 5, 1937. y B. a. BACHMAN 2,094,975

MOTOR VEHICLE CONETRUCTION Original Filed June 16, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Patented Oct. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTOR VEHICLE CQNSTRUCTION Benjamin B. Bachman, Philadelphia, Pa., as-

signor to The Autocar Company, Ardmore, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to gear-shifting mechanisms and is more particularly directed to means operable for conditioning a gear-set, as in an automotive Vehicle, for functioning in a pie-selected speed, at a point remote or distant from such gear-set.

While this invention, as will become manifest from the following description, possesses a wide range of application in the automotive and-other arts, for the purposes of this disclosure, I have elected to present it, as it may be practiced in the construction and operation of trucks and similar road vehicles, especially of those types wherein the engine is located within the cab or driving compartment, as, for example, that shown and described in my co-pending application for Letters Patent for Motor vehicles, Serial No. 730,863, filed June 18, 1934, in which the subjectmatter hereof is disclosed and'of which this application is a division. 7

In my said co-pending application, I have set forth the important objectives to which my invention, as disclosed therein, is directed. The location or the engine within the cab and beneath the driving seat, is a major factor in the attainment of these objectives, but, as will be obvious, it is also important that in order that a vehicle in which the engine is so mounted, may have the widest possible range of utility, the placement of the controls and their mode of operation should conform to standard practice.

Therefore, it is the object of this invention to provide a method and means of conditioning a gear-set of a conventional design, associated with the rear end of an engine, for functioning in a pre-selected speed, from a point remote or distant from the gear set.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a mechanism for conditioning a gear-set, as set forth, which may be actuated by a hand-operated gear-selecting and shifting lever, or its equivalent, located in advance of the engine or at any other point in spaced relation to the gearset and the gear-shifting elements thereof.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a remote control mechanism for functioning in conjunction with the standard type of gear-set, in which the gear selecting and shifting lever distant from the gear-set will actuate a slide-rod engaging element constituting a part of the gear-set assembly, for the performance of any of the several gear-selecting and. shifting operations, the movements of the shift lever conforming to those of its conventional counterpart, as mounted on the standard gear-set housgear-set, and

ing, while those of the rod-engaging element correspond directionally to the movements of the slide-engaging toe integral'with the usual shift lever.

Other objects and advantages flowing from the practicing of my invention, will become evident as the description proceeds and I would have it clearly understood that I reserve unto myself all rights to the full range of equivalents, both in structure and in use, to which I may be entitled 10 under my invention in its broadest aspect.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a preferred form of my invention, which may be employed in the construction and operation of a vehicle in which the engine is located beneath the seat, as shown in my aforesaid copending application. However, as will be obvious, the use of this construction is not limited to this particular design of vehicle. Also, the invention may take other forms to meet requirements of production or use, within the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of the engine, with associated transmission or gear-set and the means remote therefrom, that I employ for performing the gear-selecting and shifting operations, the extreme fore and aft positions of the shift lever being indicated by dot-and-dash lines,

Figure .2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the interconnecte'd'parts of the gear-set operating mechanism. V

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the shifting lever and connections to the rockable and slidable shaft, which functions to transmit movements to the gear-selecting and shifting elements of the Figures 4 and 5 are sectional elevations, respectively, looking at the forward end of; the engine, as in Figure 1, illustrative of the mode of operation of the gear shifting lever and of the connections between said lever and the afore-' said shaft, whereby the latter may be actuatedin the several gear-selecting and engaging operations.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in which like characters of reference are employed to designate similar parts in the several v-iews, 'l indicates an internal combustion engine, the torque of which is transmitted to the work '50 through a power line, including a gear-set -or transmission -8, which is suitably mounted behind the engine in association with the usual clutch mechanism, enclosed-within the housing 9. This gear-set -8 may be of any preferredtype,

that in the present instance providing for five forward speedsand reverse, and conforming gen,- erally to the structure of my co -pending application for Letters Patent filed December 22, 1932, Serial No. 648,330, which includes four shift rods or slides, each embodying a jaw engageable by the toe of a manually actuatable shifting lever, the lever being bodily movable on its longitudinal axis to increase its range of lateral arcuate movement, for conditioning the gear-set for functioning in the fifth forward speed and in reverse speed, this arrangement providing for a shifting diagram which corresponds generally to that followed in the use of the standard three and four speed gear-set.

Assuming that the engine is mounted within the area of the seat-box, as in the type of vehicle described in my co-pending application Serial No. 730,863, of which this application is a division, I provide for conditioning the gear-set in'its'several speeds at a point remote therefrom, as from the driving compartment of thecab, with the shifting lever located in its conventional position r for convenient manipulation by the right hand of the operator seated behind the steering wheel of .the vehicle.

To this end, the gear-set assembly includes an auxiliary shift-rod engaging element ell), corresponding in function to the toe of the conventional shift lever, that is actuated into its various effective positions in response to complemental movements of the gear-shifting lever H, as hereinafter set forth. Similarly, to its counterpart, integral with the standard shift lever, the aforesaid auxiliary toe I0 normally assumes an analogous position relatively to the shift-rod jaws, as it depends from its carrier'rod 2, mounted for sliding and rotative movement in the housing bearings I3 and |4, in superposed relation and parallel to the plane in which the shift-rods having the usual fork :connections to the Vslidable gearsof'the set are disposed. As will be noted, the rod l2 extends through the bearing l3 and carries a lever l5 terminating in a ball |5a seated in the socket I6 of the arm I], which is fixed to the end of the shaft l8, the latter being housed 7 within the tube l9, supported in a horizontal plane to the left of the engine and parallel to the crank-case wall thereof, forrelative longiextension 23 of the gear-set housing, this extene sion forming a well within which the co-acting lever l5 and arm IT, with the cooperating parts of their supporting media are enclosed, the sleeves 2| and 22 embodying, or embracing, bearing surfaces, as at 2|a and 22a, within which the shaft |8 is movable relatively to its tubular housing as aforesaid. V

In the mounting of the gear-set, with its driven shaft in alinement with the engine crank-shaft, as in standard practice, the housing, including the upwardly and forwardly projecting extension 23 thereof, is canted to the left on its longitudinal axis through an arc of approximately 45, to ad'- mit of the disposition of the shaft housing tube I l9 parallel to the engine, as explained, the por-.

tion 23a of' the housing extension 23, within which the tube-receiving sleeve 22 is located,

being laterally offset in alinement with the bracket 2lc to obtain the requisite clearance,

whereby the auxiliary toe l9 may function in response to the sequential movements of the interconnected rod I2 and shaft I8 and the cooperating lever l5 and arm H, as hereinafter described.

The manually actuatable shifting lever II, as-

sociated with the housing 24, corresponding in its general outlines to the conventional type of housing, and supported in advanceof the front end of the engine 7, as by a bracket 25, or other suitable fitting, is telescopically connected at its lower end to an arm or lever 26 which embodies a socket 21 for the reception of the ball end 23 of the lug 29 fixed to the end of the shaft l8, for movement therewith, as by tapering the mating surfaces of the lug and shaft and threading the nut 30 on the end of the latter inengagement with the face of the lug, the head end of the arm or lever 26 being offset relatively to the socket end thereof, as by the curvature of the intermediate portion, as shown. A shoulder 26a isformed contiguous to the headend ofthe armor lever 26, the portion 26a, thereabove, of reduced diameter, being entered in andproviding a bearing surface for the V complemental socket end I la of the shift lever I, which is supportedfrom said shoulder by the interposed spring 3|, this interconnection of the two levers H and 25, providing for their func- .or bifurcated end 32 of the fitting 33, for relative rotative movement, about the longitudinal axis of the connecting bolt 34, this fitting being entered in the bearing member 35 of the forward extension 36a, of the bracket 36, for rotative movement on its longitudinal axis, the end of the stem or entering portion thereof being threaded to receive the retaining nut 31 cooperating with the washer 31a. The bracket 36 is adapted to be fixed, as by bolting, to any appropriate support, as to. the

engine bed or mounting;

As will be seen from'Figures 4 and 5, the housing 2i, which is provided with an orifice 24a to accommodate the. lever or arm 26 throughout its range of movement inv intersectingarcs, embodies laterally extending ribs or ways 38 and 39 on its 7 V sidewalls to cooperate with the lateral projections E9 and 4| on the shift lever II, the rib 39 r being undercut from end to end to form a groove or track within which the upturned end 4|a of V the shift lever projection 4| is adapted to travel,

when engaged therewith, in response to the depression of the lever in opposition to the spring 3|, and its'movement to the left on the fulcrum of the arm 26. Conversely, the movement of the shift lever to the right, while depressed,will cause the projection 40 thereof to ride beneath the housing rib 38, it being apparent that when the,

;ment of the lever, the lever-carried projections 49 and AI being disposed in the plane of the respective ribs with which they cooperate and riding therebetween. 1 Obviously, any tendency to movement of the lever laterally beyond that dej fined by the stops, will be arrested as one or the other of the lever projections 40 and 4| abut .theragainst. The lever H, in the full and dotand-dash lines of Figure 5, is shown in its two extreme lateral positions, just described, with the cooperating projections and ribs engaged.

The shift-rods of the gear-set, 'as'disclosed in my said application, Serial No. 648,330, are four in number and are adapted to be engaged by the auxiliary toe ID, the movements of which respond directionally to those of the shift lever in the selection and actuation of the rods. Assuming that the gears for the first forward speed are to be engaged, the shift lever is canted to the left, the arm 26 moving coincidentally therewith on its fulcrum 36, to rock the shaft l8, through the interconnected ball and socket members 28 and 21, and enter the toe ill in the jaw of the appropriate slide-rod. The shift lever is then moved forwardly on the transverse axis provided by the fitting 33 to urge the shaft l8 rearwardly, this movement, of course, being transmitted through the arm l1 and lever 15 to the toe-carrying rod l2 to shift the gear-set rod with which it has been engaged as previously described. For conditioning the gear-set for functioning in its second speed ratio, the shift lever H, is moved backward to effect the forward movement of the toe rod I2. For the third speed, the movement of the shift lever is to the right and forward, the shaft 18 rocking to the left and sliding rearwardly in response to the lever movements, this clockwise movement of the shaft l8 being translated into an anti-clockwise movement of the toe rod to enter the toe 10 in the slide immediately to the left of the slide for actuating the first and second speed gears, it being obvious that the dependent toe I!) will have an arcuate movement to the left, while in picking up the slide for the aforesaid first and second speed gears, its movement will be to the right. Movement of the shift lever to its rear limits on the right, will urge the slide with which the toe IE! is engaged forwardly to mesh the gears for fourth speed. As will be readily seen, the relative movements of the shift lever and the auxiliary toe correspond to those of the conventional shift lever and its'integral toe; in other words, as the conventional lever is shifted or canted to the right, the toe thereof swings to the left and vice versa.

Now, when it is desired to condition the gearset for operation in the fifth speed, the shift lever H, is depressed against the spring 3|, and pressed to the right to engage the lever projection 40, beneath the housing rib or way 38 which increases the radius of movement of the lever or arm 26 on its axis 34 and, likewise, increases the arcuate movement of the shaft 18 in a clockwise direction, which is translated into an anticlockwise movement of the toe-rod l2, to increase the swing of the toe for entering into the jaw of the slide at the extreme left, meshing of the gears being then effected by the backward movement of the shift lever on its axis 33, with a concurrent forward movement of the shaft I8 and the toe-rod l2. To return the shift lever to neutral, it is depressed sufficiently to permit the disengagement of the projection 40 from the rib 38, whereupon it may be returned to its normally spring-supported position, relatively to the head-end of the lever 26. The movements of the shift lever for the meshing of the gears for the reverse speed, are downward on its longitudinal axis, to increase the arc of the anti-clockwise movement of the shaft l8, as the lever is canted to the left to bring the projection 4| thereof into engagement with the rib or way 39, the finger Ma. of said projection riding in the groove of the wayf'as the lever is shifted backwardly, the selecting movement of the shift lever through the medium of the interposed shaft I8 and the interconnected arm I! rigid therewith, and the lever 15 fixed to the toe-rod [2, being translated into an opposite radial movement of the toe l to enter the jaw of the shift rod at the extreme right of the series for its actuation forwardly in response to the like directional movement of the shaft [8 and the toe-rod It. It will be noted, especially from the showing of Figure 4, that the 'depth of the socket 2'! and its internal contour in combination with the ball end 28 of the lug 29, not only provide a universal joint between the lever and the shaft l8, but a connection that admits of the requisite relative axial adjustment of the lever, without resulting in lost motion between the parts. The interconnection of the arm I! and the lever 15 of the toe-rod l2, also permits these members to have the range of radial movement that is essential to conform to the increase in the degree of the lateral movements of the shift lever.

From the foregoing, it will be manifest that I have provided a system for actuating the gearshifting elements of a gear-set, at a point remote therefrom, wherein the movements of the shifting lever, selective and actuating, conform to those of the shift lever of the conventional type, the mechanism that I employ for transmitting the effort to the work, including means whereby there is a translation of the leverage force applied, into a counterforce for the performance of the work, the structure utilized being simple and extremely practical in its assembly and the manner in which it functions.

As will be evident, the invention is not only applicable to a'vehicle of the type described in my aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 730,863, but to any other automotive vehicle, including air and marine craft, or to any stationary power plant, where, for one reason or another it is necessary or desirable to employ a remote control mechanism for conditioning a gear-set or an equivalent unit in the power line, to which my invention may be applied. Also, it will be understood that my invention may be utilized.

with the same advantages and degree of efficiency in the conditioning of a standard three or four speed gear set for functioning in any of its speeds, that is obtained by its association with a gearset of the five speed forward and reverse type, as herein described, the lever l l in such instances being a part of the lever 26 and the housing ribs and coacting projections on the lever that are employed for the additional speed positions being dispensed with or omitted. These, and other changes or modifications that may be necessary in attaining the several objectives to which my invention is directed, as hereinbefore set forth, fall within the spirit and scope of my' invention, as hereinafter defined.

I claim: 1. The combination with a gear-set having a plurality of shifting rods, eachembodying a jaw,

Vwardly spaced relation to said gear-set, means connecting said two shafts for conjoint longitudinal movement and relatively opposite rotational movement, a. manually actuable lever mounted for fore and aft and lateral rocking movement and means connecting said lever below its mounting to said second shaft for relative movement, whereby a predetermined lateral movement of said lever will rotate said first shaft toleffect the simultaneous movement of said jaw-engaging element in a direction corresponding to that in which the portion of said lever-below its mounting moves, for entering said element in the jaw of one of said shifting rods, the engaged rod being slidable in response to' the movement of said lever in a path intersecting that of its first move menta I 2. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a gear-set associated with its rear-end embodying a plurality of parallel slidable gear-shifting rods, each being provided with a jaw, and. means for conditioning said gearset for functioning in a pre-selected speed ratio front a point 'in' advance of said engine, said means including a shaft'mounted above and par-,

allel to said shifting rods for sliding and rotative movement, a jaw-engaging element carried by said shaft, a second shaft mounted parallel to the side of said engine for longitudinal and rotational movement, an arm fixed to each of said shafts, the respective arms being connected for relative movement, a lever mounted for arcuatefore and aft and lateral movement forward of said engine, means interconnecting said latter lever below its mounting and said second shaft for relativearcuate movement, whereby a lateral arcuate movement of said lever will rotate said first and second shafts in opposite directions and simultaneously rocksaid jaw-engaging element 40 in a direction corresponding to that in which,

said limiting means being rendered ineifective in response to a predetermined downward movement a of said lever actuator, to increase the range of arouate movement'of said lever in other condi-' tioning operations.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a gear-set'associated with its rear-rend embodying a plurality of parallel slidable gear-shifting rods, each being provided with r a jaw, and means for conditioning said gear-set for functioning in ,a pre-selected speed ratio from a point in advance of said engine, said means including a shaft mounted in the housing of said gear-set, above and parallel to said shifting rods, for sliding and rotative movement, a jaw engaging element fixed to and dependent, from said shaft, a second shaft mounted parallel tothe side of said engine for longitudinal and rotational ,movement, an arm fixed to each of said shafts, said arms being connected for relative opposite movement, a lever mounted for fore and aft and lateral rocking movement forward of said engine, said lever'embodying a reversely curved head-portion above its mounting, means interconnecting the lower end of said lever and said second shaft for relative movement whereby a lateral movement of said lever will rotate said first and second shafts in opposite directions and simultaneously rock said jaw-engaging. element in the direction of movement of the lower end of said lever, a housing for the upper end of said lever, an actuator for said lever resiliently supported therefrom, means projecting laterally from said actuator adapted to cooperate with means fixed on said lever' housing to limit the rocking movement of said lever in certain gearset conditioning operations, said limiting means being rendered ineffective in response to a predetermined downward movement of said actuator in opposition to said resilient supporting means to increase the range of lateral movement of said lever in other conditioning operations, the lim iting means in the latter operations functioning to guide the fore and aft movement of the lever actuator. BENJAMIN B. BACHMAN. 

